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The Star League Defense Force navy leased 22 of the original Davion-class WarShips under the auspices of First LordIan Cameron's Directive 22. For the duration of the Reunification War, these ships served well. After the war ended, the SLDF navy purchased the 19 that remained in service and refitted them with the best technology the Terran Hegemony had to offer. These ships were renamed the Whirlwind-class and entered service in 2606. For the next two centuries the Whirlwind-class ships served the SLDF well. All of them left the Inner Sphere as part of the Exodus.[2]

When the Clans invaded the Inner Sphere, the Whirlwind-class ships were only seen in the touman of Clan Steel Viper. Analysis of these ships showed that the Clans had made very few changes to the vessels, other than adding a Lithium-Fusion Battery and doubling the armor protection of the ship by using Ferro-Carbide armor.[2]

The Whirlwind-class, like many Star League WarShips, was designed to engage other WarShips. Consequently it devotes very little of its available weaponry to anti-AeroSpace Fighter duties. Those weapons that are dedicated to attacking AeroSpace Fighters are located in the broadsides and fore and aft arcs. This leaves several approach vectors covered only by a Light Naval Gauss Rifle, which is particularly ill-suited to defending against small craft.[2]

It appears that the Clans only made minimal modifications to the armament of their Whirlwinds. Historical records indicate that the Star League Whirlwinds had much the same armament as the Clan version shown at right. The Star League version however had half as much protection in each area as it carried 306 tons of Improved Ferro-Aluminum Armor. In addition the SLDF Whirlwind used the less efficient Star League era Extended Range and Pulse lasers, and used standard SRM-6 launchers with Artemis IV Fire Control instead of the Clan's Streak SRM-6.[2]

The Star League Whirlwinds were so focused on fighting WarShips that they didn't carry any AeroSpace Fighters. Instead they had a single cargo bay that carried 71,206 tons of cargo.[2]